A graphic is a visual representation of data. It may include drawings, text, pictures, diagrams, maps, and even pie charts. Graphs are a useful tool for educating and illustrating. They are also used for decorative purposes.
Computer graphics have evolved significantly over the past few decades. These advancements have changed the way movies are made, video games are played, and advertising campaigns are executed.
In the mid-1960s, companies such as Sperry Rand and General Electric began to develop computer graphics. In the 1980s, Macs and PCs with MS-DOS introduced computer graphics to a new audience. Eventually, Apple and Nintendo helped expose this technology to the general public.
Today, there are two types of computer graphics: vector and raster. Vector graphics are great for simple designs and product artwork. However, they do not work well with gradients, shadows, or other artistic details. Raster graphics are more common, and are often represented by dots or squares.
As the field has grown, the Special Interest Group on Graphics (SIGGRAPH) has been formed to organize publications and conferences. SIGGRAPH is a major conference on computer graphics that was founded in 1973.
The first major film release in 1995 was Toy Story, which was created using computer animation. Animated films continue to be a leading source of CGI.
Other pioneers in the field included Ivan Sutherland, David C. Evans, John Warnock, and Peter Shirley. Many of these pioneers would later found companies such as Pixar and Adobe Systems.
